Paint can rim piercer

ABSTRACT

A PAINT CAN RIM THROUGH PUNCH MEANS FOR PUNCHING DRAIN HOLES IN THE RIM TROUGH OF A PAINT CAN INCLUDING A HANDLE MEMBER HAVING A HOOK ON ONE END RECEIVABLE UNDER THE PAINT CAN RIM AND AN INWARDLY POSITIONED OUTWARDLY EXTENDING V-SHAPED PIERCER MEMBER MOVABLE WHEN THE HOOK IS POSITIONED UNDER THE RIM TO PIERCE THE RIM TROUGH.

25, 1971 J. L. REGAN 3,579,678

PAINT CAN RIM PIERCER Filed April 30, 1969 INVENTOR. JAN S L. REGAN mmw'mnug mmu United States Patent Olfice 3,579,678 PAINT CAN RIM PIERCER James L. Regan, Hayward, Calif. (409 Dunkel St., Fairbanks, Alaska 99701) Filed Apr. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 820,511 Int. Cl. 1325f 1/04; B67]: 7/44 U.S. Cl. 714.1 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paint can rim trough punch means for punching drain holes in the rim trough of a paint can including a handle member having a hook on one end receivable under the paint can rim and an inwardly positioned outwardly extending V-shaped piercer member movable when the hook is positioned under the rim to pierce the rim trough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of combination hand tools and is specifically directed to a combination hand tool having a multiplicity of uses but being specifically designed for opening paint cans and subsequently punching drain holes in the peripheral rim trough formed in the top of such cans.

Conventional paint cans employ a circular peripheral rim trough formed in the top of the can for receiving an annular ridge of the can lid associated with the can during transportation and storage of the can. However, the lid is usually removed by the employment of a screwdriver or the like for prying the lid from the can. It is the normal practice for the person using such a can to dip a paint brush into the paint within the can and then allow the side of the brush to engage the rim trough while the brush is lifted upwardly so that the rim trough will remove the excess paint on the brush. Unfortunately, the rim trough soon becomes full of paint as a result of this action and the continued use of the can and brush in this manner eventually results in a substantially full rim trough resulting in a wastage of paint. Moreover, the paint within the rim trough creates a problem when the lid is replaced on the can since a portion of the paint in the trough is forced outwardly to drain downwardly along the sides of the can. This fact not only wastes the paint but also creates a messy and undesirable condition.

Moreover, the paint within the rim trough eventually dries so as to make it quite difficult to remove the can lid in the future when it is again desired to use the paint within the can.

This invention solves the problem caused by retention of substantial quantities of paint in the rim trough by providing a uniquely simple device capable of opening a can and then subsequently providing pierced perforations about the periphery of the rim trough so that paint entering the trough can immediately drain back into the interior of the can. Consequently, there will be no accumulation of paint in the rim trough.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved hand tool for easily enabling the punching of drain holes in the rim trough of a paint can.

Obtainment of the object of this invention is enabled through the provision of a unitary metal member including a handle portion having a hook and a V-shaped blade extending from one end. The hook can be engaged with the underside of the rim trough with the blade engaging the top of the trough so that pivotal movement of the handle causes the blade to pierce the trough. Additionally,

3,579,678 Patented May 25, 1971 the device forming the subject matter of this invention is provided with a screwdriver type blade on the opposite end of the handle and the hook-shaped member is provided on its outer curvature with an arcuate recess enabling the insertion of a portion of the hook beneath the can lid for removing the lid from the can.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment as positioned with respect to a paint can prior to the piercing of the can rim trough;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the device showing a sectional portion of the can with which the device is employed in one mode of operation for removing the can lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodiment of this invention is in the form of a unitary metal construction including an elongated handle member 12. Handle member 12 is in the form of a metal trough having first and second sidewalls 14 and 16 connected by a substantially planar base member 18. The connection between the first and second sidewalls 14 and 16 and the planar base member 18 is best illustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 4.

The upper end of handle member 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes an end termination in the form of a portion 20 having a rectangular cross section and usable as a screwdriver or the like. Immediately inward from portion 20, it will be noted that an elongated aperture 22 is provided for enabling the user to hang the device on a nail or other suitable support.

The planar base member 18 is provided with a recess for receiving an advertising label 24. However, this feature is optional and advertising could merely be stamped into the base member 18 if desired.

The end of handle 12 opposite to the rectangular portion 20 is provided with an outwardly extending rim hook generally designated 24. Rim hook 24 includes one portion in the form of an extension of the second sidewall 16 and an extension of a portion of the planar base member 18 as will be obvious from inspection of FIG. 3. Additionally, a V-shaped piercing blade 26 also extends from the same end of the handle as the rim hook 24. Piercing blade 26 is oriented in a plane parallel to the planar base member 18 by virtue of an offset connection 28 extending between the planar base member 18 and blade 26 as best illustrated in FIG. 2.

While FIG. 3 illustrates piercing blade 26 as extending outwardly from handle member 12 in a generally axial direction, it should be understood that the angle of orientation of the piercing blade with respect to the handle can be varied substantially. For example, piercing blade 26 could extend outwardly at an angle of up to 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle if desired. However, such an orientation would result in the apex of the piercing blade being oriented to the left as shown in FIG. 3 and would consequently result in the apex being in an exposed position. Therefore, such an orientation would pose a possible safety hazard and the preferable position is that best illustrated in FIG. 3.

Rim hook 24 comprises a shank portion 30 which terminates in a curved lip 32 extending transversely from the shank portion to define a channel 34 for receiving the lower surface of a paint can rim trough 36. The manner 

